Quote 4
ORLANDO
As I remember, Adam, it was upon this
fashion bequeathed me by will but poor a thousand
crowns, and, as thou sayest, charged my brother, on
his blessing, to breed me well. And there begins my
sadness. My brother Jaques he keeps at school, and
report speaks goldenly of his profit. For my part, he
keeps me rustically at home, or, to speak more
properly, stays me here at home unkept; for call you
that keeping for a gentleman of my birth, that
differs not from the stalling of an ox? His horses are
bred better, for, besides that they are fair with their
feeding, they are taught their manage and, to that
end riders dearly hired. But I, his brother, gain
nothing under him but growth, for the which his
animals on his dunghills are as much bound to him
as I. Besides this nothing that he so plentifully gives
me, the something that nature gave me his countenance
seems to take from me. He lets me feed with
his hinds, bars me the place of a brother, and, as
much as in him lies, mines my gentility with my
education. This is it, Adam, that grieves me, and the
spirit of my father, which I think is within me,
begins to mutiny against this servitude. I will no
longer endure it, though yet I know no wise remedy
how to avoid it. (1.1.1-25)
Typically, the first lines of any Shakespearean drama alert us to one or more major themes in the play. When As You Like It opens, we learn that family betrayal is going to be a very big deal. Here, youngest son Orlando complains about the effects of primogeniture—Orlando's father has died and social practice has dictated that all of his father's wealth, land, and titles be passed on to the oldest son, Oliver. Oliver was supposed to make sure Orlando received a proper education and grew up with all the privileges and comforts of a gentleman, but Oliver treats his youngest bro more like a servant or an animal. Understandably, Orlando is ready to "mutiny."
Quote 5
ORLANDO
I am more proud to be Sir Rowland's son,
His youngest son, and would not change that calling
To be adopted heir to Frederick. (1.2.228-230)
When Duke Frederick talks smack about Orlando's dead dad, our boy Orlando demonstrates what family loyalty looks like. For Orlando, blood is thicker than pride, or the desire for prestige—at least among the honorable.
Quote 6
ORLANDO
Hang there, my verse, in witness of my love.
And thou, thrice-crownèd Queen of Night, survey
With thy chaste eye, from thy pale sphere above,
Thy huntress' name that my full life doth sway.
O Rosalind, these trees shall be my books,
And in their barks my thoughts I'll character,
That every eye which in this forest looks
Shall see thy virtue witness'd everywhere.
Run, run, Orlando; carve on every tree,
The fair, the chaste, and unexpressive she. (3.2.1-10)
Why does Orlando need anyone (or anything) to "witness" his love for Rosalind? The easy answer is that, when we fall head-over-heels in love, it's natural to want to shout it from the rooftop or write about it. Yet, as much as Orlando wants to express his feelings for Ros, he also acknowledges that it's impossible for him to convey his true feelings for the "unexpressive she" (Rosalind, whose beauty surpasses mere words).
So, on the one hand, Shakespeare is poking fun at guys like Orlando. On the other hand, we know that Shakespeare (who also happens to be a poet) is also a little obsessed with using words to express the seemingly inexpressible. Think about Sonnet 18, where Shakespeare writes "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?/ Thou art more lovely and more temperate." Translation: "It doesn't do me any good to compare you to summer because you're even more amazing than that. Still, I'm going to try to find a way to express how I feel about you, even if my words fall short."